Hillarious ebay Moro sword auction

B

Bill Marsh

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
1,861
"This sword is from the Maguindanao Tribe of Indians in the Philippines. This style "Luma" is a half-waved/half-straight blade. Not only is this a one of a kind beauty, but it also carries a very interesting story behind it. My great grandfather, Charles Lobert, was serving in the United States Army during the Spanish American War in the Philippines. He and his best friend, Gus, were fishing on a Sunday near a small lake outside Manila. Suddenly there was a loud russeling noise coming from the bushes behind them. Out jumped a small but powerful Moro Indian, with this very blade in his hand. He attacked poor old Gus and sliced off his head. As his head was rolling on the ground below my great grandfather, he cried, "Watch out, Charlie!!!". My grandfather of course shot the Moro Indian, and took his sword as a memory of the incident. Not only is this sword a great American War artifact, but it has a unique and wonderful history, as well. This would look great in your display cabinet, or even on your living room wall. This Luma sword has a detailed pattern on the handle of the blade, with the cheif of the tribe's head inscribed into it."

Think that I am making this up? Click here!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=886050290

I think that to make this complete, the seller should also offer Gus' shrunken head!!!

Bill Marsh
 
That sword looks dang good for being 100+ years old :D
Affordable too...
 
A Moro near Manila?! Fishing in a lake in that area in wartime!? A severed head that speaks warnings!? And a kris that looks like crap!? Almost sounds like a fantasy movie to me....the only thing he got right about us Filipino's is the small in stature part.....;)
 
My AK decapitated the King of the Potato people a few months back, thus saving the earth from a great spud invasion. I'd sell the blade here but I'm not a gold member. :)
 
...Your AK saved the world, too? I didn't wanna say anything back when mine did, but now...

Uh.

Keith
En Ferro Veritas



heeeheeehe!
 
Gee, I believed the whole story and almost bought the darned thing. Sounded rare and valuable to me....
 
Originally posted by BruiseLeee
My AK decapitated the King of the Potato people a few months back, thus saving the earth from a great spud invasion. I'd sell the blade here but I'm not a gold member. :)
Click to expand...

@#$* it Bruise! When the cure for world hunger comes, you decide to get khuk-happy!

S.
 
Dear Bill,

thanks a lot for your post my friend. When I read the post I burst into laughing first but then I started thinking about the marketing pitch of this seller.
What is he trying to say? Selling a junk and market it as a true killing instrument! Where is the human integrity here? It reminds me of a smith who supposedly uses human bones and jaws as grips of his sword in Asia and tried to sell it in the USA and Europe.
I was so disgusted and asked him whether he knew what he was talking about and where he got these bones!!!! I challenged his moral fortitude and was really disappointed and sad.
I love blades and swords, I know in some Dyack Mandaus human hair of victims is used, I mean prior to 19 century. But the imagination of someone using human bones now is shivering! True or a lie that is not a question, just the thought that some people found it cool made me so sad . . .
Where is love? Where is friendship? Where is the heart? The study of any swordmanship is the study of peace. The art of war cannot be separated from the art of peace. Warriors should have codex, otherwise they turn into beasts . . .
Long hours, pensive hours, sitting at my desk and thinking . . . Like any other human being I am doomed to watch the world from my side, through my eyes, all my life. Not even once or for a second do I get the chance to watch the world from your side . . .
We come to this world and share some moments with each other, it is like passing a bridge, which is called life, connecting two ends to each other . . .
Why do these people use such savage language to market their products? Who is the target?

Thanks my friends for reading my strange post!!! :(

Regards,

Manoucher
 
This seller is actually being discussed on the EEWRS. What is interesting about this sword, if it is indeed from the Span-American war period and was indeed taken near Manila, it could be a katipunan ceremonial dagger. Ive seen katipunan, kris before, as well as a Katipunan kampilan. The hilt seems that it may be a double demon head, as can be found in the Visayan region. The problem is, the pic is horrible, and there are no measurements given. So theres not much to tell by. However, Ive heard a number of equally wild stories that people's veteran parents have told them. It is very possible that this persons parent did serve, but made up an neat story to tell his kid at bedtime, so that years later this story is all they know.
 
Manoucher, if this forum were a ship, your statement above would entitle you to become a plankholder ( but that's just my opinion for whatever that's worth ).

Well said.
 
Originally posted by Federico
This seller is actually being discussed on the EEWRS. What is interesting about this sword, if it is indeed from the Span-American war period and was indeed taken near Manila, it could be a katipunan ceremonial dagger. Ive seen katipunan, kris before, as well as a Katipunan kampilan. The hilt seems that it may be a double demon head, as can be found in the Visayan region. The problem is, the pic is horrible, and there are no measurements given. So theres not much to tell by. However, Ive heard a number of equally wild stories that people's veteran parents have told them. It is very possible that this persons parent did serve, but made up an neat story to tell his kid at bedtime, so that years later this story is all they know.
Click to expand...

Hopefully this pic may improve on the image. Perhaps it may help in identification, or not.;)
 
Federico,
If the sales pitch said this sword was taken from a Maguindanao near Lake Lanao (on Mindanao-not near Manila) would you take a closer look?
This is probably a total rip-off, but the name Maguindanao and the part wavy, part straight blade are enough to make someone with just a little knowledge (like me) wonder in spite of the obvious nonsense.
 
John, would you really want a sword that was last used on a guy named "Gus"? And for the rest of you Sabbath-breaking fishermen, *Take Warning!*

heh
 
To me the big thing that throws this blade off is that it seems to be too big. The katipunan movement was fond of ceremonial daggers, and its not un-common to see stranger blades attributed to the katipunan. Ive even seen a kampilan with a katipunan medallion on it, as well as various kris like daggers. However, the katipunan were generally richer members of Philippine society, and their daggers were often of very good quality. They were also very nationalistic, and had a strong sense of cultural pride, which accounts for a re-awakening in pre-colonial Philippine heritage. What throws this kris off for me, is the quality of the blade and scabbard looks too new, and it seems too big, not to mention the leather on the hilt is amazingly well preserved for 100 years old. It would be interesting to see close ups of the hilt. However demon head hilts are more associated with Panay, and not Luzon. So as the story follows its supposedly a Moro Sword (Southern Philippines), with a Panay hilt (central Philippines, Visayas), found just outside of Luzon (northern Philippines). A mighty good collaboration between groups, who havent gotten along historically. The Moros did not support the Christian Katipunan, well because they were Christian, there was also tension between the Visayans, and the Manila/Tagalog dominated Katipunan. So all in all its not the best time for cultural cross overs. However the hilt, and blade look like the may possibly be quality, even though the blade looks like it may be newer than the hilt. But the cross-guard and scabbard, look of lesser quality, the scabbard especially looking very new. There is the possibility that this is an older blade that was re-hilted, but without inspecting in person its hard to tell. All in all alot of the possibilities cant be explored completely without better detailed pictures, some without seeing a piece in person. I must say Im mildly curious to see this blade, but then Im not rich enough to just buy everything that piques my interest. Though I must say it is probably more likely junk than quality, and to me Id think more WWII vintage or newer if I wasnt already given an age
.
 
Federico,
Thank you for that long and incredibly informative post!

Manoucher, my friend, thank you for that heart felt response.

On the authenticity of the item I will pass on a comment from a good friend and world-class authority -- "Phoney-Baloney."

Bill Marsh
 
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